Has anyone had an experience with getting married in a Michigan prison ? If so I would love to pump you for information since that looks like what I may be doing soon. Any help would be great, thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to all my southern neighbours.

Witchlin

Witchlin.... I have no idea about how the marraige thing works in Michigan prisons... but hang tight, I'm sure someone will answer soon with some good information for you.
I just wanted to say congrats ....

Jodygirl

Well what do you want to know? We got married in Jackson December of 2000. You have to arrange the date with the chaplin and they do weddings only on Thursday mornings. Then you have to fill out some paperwork for everyone including yourself who will attend. Forget how many people you're allowed, like 5 or something. It's not many. Then they have to run a check on everybody to see if they are ok. Then you have to go to the county clerk and pay $25 to take out a marriage license. The rings; you are only allowed to spend $50 per ring and you have to provide a receipt from the jeweler or wherever you got it. It can only be a simple gold wedding band. You can't have any music, flowers, or fancy wedding dress or tuxes. Just something simple. You go there the morning of the wedding and go thru the sally port and check in. The chaplin is hopefully already there. They bring your man up and his best man. There is an officer standing by at the service. The chaplin reads your vows and you say "I do"; you kiss and BOOM! You're outta there cause it's over and you don't get to stay a minute extra. If you want to see your husband again you have to come back on a regular visit. Oh, also, no pictures can be taken during the ceremony either. If there's anything I left out feel free to ask me, I'll help if I can.

P.S. Congratulations!!!!!!!!!

congratulations! i hope it all goes well! please give us an update!

emme

Well yes I do have a question, I have to get the marriage licence but Im not a resident of Michigan, nor am I of the U.S.. Pretty much everything else you said is what the Chaplin explained to me on the phone. So does anyone know how I do that from Canada, and I understand that I have to have it three days before we can use it. Do I have that all right ? And do I have to be a citizen or resident of the U.S. to get a marriage licence there ? Thanks, and congratulatins by the way :)

whitchlin,

I have nothing to offer in information other than to ask you to keep us up to date!

This is soooo exciting!

Well when I got the marriage license I had to be a resident of the county I applied for it in and show proof of my residency. I'm not sure cause it's been awhile, but I THINK I remember that I could also get the marriage license in the county my husband was living in, ie Jackson. So you might want to check with the county clerk in your husband's county about this.

Witchlin--

The county clerk's number for Chippewa County is 906-635-6300. Isn't that where he is?

Deb

Yes thank you Deb, well not in the Chippewa CF but the county I think, he is in Kinross CF. I will be on that first thing in the morning. I think that is just what I needed since the American Embassy here couldnt really help me at all. Cheers Deb.

Yup, Kinross is in Chippewa County. Good luck!

Deb

Hello, I'm not sure how much help I can be, but in regards to your needing help about how it works with getting married inside the prison here in Michigan, I might be able to give you some info. I married my husband five-years ago in a Michigan prison, and this is how it worked then. I had to write to the chaplain and inform him/her of my wanting to marry my husband; and then I had to submit a copy of my divorce papers from my previous marriage; and then send in a list of up to 8 people that I was planning to be in the wedding ceremony! After that, it was basically that we scheduled the day, and then arrived a half an hour before time for the wedding! While it wasn't the ritz or anything of that sort, it was a most beautiful ceremony, and it is one that will last a lifetime!! I wish you good luck, and Congratulations!!

Audrey

Thank you, well Im half way ahead of it now, the chaplin has the form, my divorce papers, and my letter of intent. The big problem I have is that I have to apply for the licence on a Tuesday in the Sault in order to marry on the Monday which leaves me paying for a hotel for way too long as well as other expenses. Im trying to figure all that out now and I guess we are working on the date now too, hoping to make it the same week as his parole hearing which Im going to. So its in the works and we are hoping for March. Just waiting for his notification from the parole board I guess. I'm pretty excited, well extremely excited actually. I wish it was March now though.

Witchlin